
If it had not been for the evil work of a few big goons around town it could have been said that Hallowe’en passed off Monday night with a good deal of fun and little damage. Most of those in costume, and the younger element which called at homes for treats, were well behaved but late at night the prowlers got busy and did considerable damage in widely separated parts of the town.
An ornamental iron fence mounted on a stone wall around the residential property of Mr. W. A. Jamieson was pried off and the heavy stone caps removed from gate posts there and at the home of Mr. P. W. Strickland, next door. Mr. Jamieson thinks he may have to remove the stonework of the fence altogether as the iron grillwork is broken off where it was embedded in the stone. Steps were taken from homes in several places where people could have broken their limbs if they had come out before the trick was discovered.
In the opposite end of the town from where Mr. Jamieson lives, serious property damage was done in the grounds of Mr. J. D. McCallum on Country Street. An ornamental wishing well which had been created during his father’s lifetime was demolished. It was walled up a few feet and had the usual wooden pillars, ridgero and windlass. Several people had their windows broken and one man had the glass in his porch smashed to pieces.
There were other damages, some of them bad enough, some not reported and others minor in their nature. The little folk who visited the houses in their neighborhood wore false faces and carried bags to receive apples, nuts and candy. Either they were home early or attended the usual Hallowe’en party in the town hall by the Lions Club, following a parade. Here 800 bags of candy and apples were dispensed which indicates the size of the crowd.
Some of the older boys and girls dressed up for the occasion and visited their friends, the party at the town hall and the restaurants. These costumes were really good. One worth mentioning was worn by Mr. Donald (Tubby) James and it was a masterpiece. He made rubber boots with toes pointing back and front, wore a coon coat buttoned down the back and wore two false faces facing back and front. It was hard to know in which direction he was proceeding. The trouble with Tubby was that he got to the town hall too early and the judges were a little late. The heat got him down, due to his big fur coat and he had to leave before the prizes were awarded. It is said when he removed the coat in a local restaurant he looked as if he had come out of a steam bath.

JOAN BEATRICE
Peacefully at Fairview Manor, Almonte with her close friend, Joanna Scissons at her side on Thursday evening, Sept. 17, 2015.
Joan Manion
of Almonte, age of 88 years.
Beloved wife of the late Donald “Tubby” James. Daughter of the late Mr. & Mrs. Angus J. Manion. Predeceased by one sister. Survived by a nephew & niece.

by Brent Eades
I knew that somewhere in the historic photo collection Michael Dunn was kind enough to share with me years ago there was an Almonte Halloween photo from a long time ago; and here it is.
This is a detail from a larger photo, of a group of folks whose ages are hard to determine, given the grainy nature of the photo; they look young overall, though.
The setting seems opulent for the time — possibly one of the mill-owner’s homes?
I would put this photo somewhere on the cusp between the 19th and the 20th centuries, based on their dress and the decor of the home.
There is indeed a wicked witch in the centre foreground.